The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-07
"THE VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS"
Points In the Late General Logan's Book
Which Will Cause Controversy.

Harrisburg { Pa Special.
Gen. John A. Logan's new book, entitled
1.-THE Volunteer Soldiers of America" which
will soon be issued, promises to create a sensa.
ton in military and literary circles. The work
will contain $50 pages and will soon be ready
for distribution. 1t is dedicated ''To the i'm
mortal most Of citizen soldiers and sailors who,
from Lexington TO Appomattox, have won the
liberty of the Republic, maintained its honor
and preserved its integrity"
A personal friend of the late Senator, who re-
sides in this city, has received from Mrs Logan
the prospectus and some advance sheets of the
work. and, after critically examining it. ex-
presses the opinion that some lively controver-
sizes will be start ed whom the book appears
The aim Of the author seems to have been to
elevate the volunteer soldier of the Republic IN
the late war at the expense OF the regulars.
The early chapters are devoted TO a similar pur-
pose. with reference to the previous wars from
the Revolution down to the conflict in Mexico,
but the author only becomes peppery when the
history of the Rebellion is under treatment.
The West Point Military Academy is handled
with great severity, and the so-called military
lobby. by which it is boldly charged that during
and since the war congressional legislation was
influenced against the volunteer and in favor of
the regular. is denounced il terms Of the sever
est reproach. The author divides the actors in
the late struggle into two classes, ely, the
natural soldiers" and the academic soldiers. "
In the former class he puts Washington, Greene,
WAYNE, Putnam. Stark, Knox and Hamilton, of
the Revolution, and Terry, E. D. Sumner, Phil
Kearney, Sickles, j. D. Cox, Birney, Frank P.
Blair, McClernand John NJ. Palmer, the Nc
Cooks. Corcoran, Shields. Thomas Francis
Meagher, Thomas Ewing, James A. Garfield,
Lucius Fairchild, present head of the Grand
Army of the Republic. and others These he
designates volunteers distinguished from
the academic soldiers, meaning those who we're
educated at West Point.
One of the features of the work, and the one
that will probably provoke the most comment,
is the reference to General Sherman. That
gentleman, in his memoirs, refers to the military
achievements of General Logan in anything but
fiattering terms. 1t is said that previous to the
issue of Shermans book correspondence had
been maintained between Sherman and Logan
in which Sherman had expressed the warmes,
attachment for Logan and the highest apprecia
ton of his military services. After the publica
ton of the Sherman memoirs Sherman went te
Logan and appealed to him, it is reported, te
keep the correspondence concealed, and, too
that Logan reluctantly yielded. Sherman tried
to induce the Illinois Senator to surrender Il
him the letters, but to this request refusa
was returned. Since the death of Logan hi
friends IN and out Of the army have prevailed OF
Mrs. Logan to allow the correspondence to b
inserted in the forthcoming book. They rea
soned that justice to the memory of her lat
husband made such a course necessary, and Mrs
Logan has consented
The gentleman who has the advance sheets il
this city has seen the Sherman letters, and ex
presses the opinion that the publication Of then
will be exceedingly embarrassing to Genera
Sherman they will, it is declared, convic
him of willf0l fabrication and duplicity.
singular fact in relation tho matter is that tn
army is almost unit in favor of Logan in tn
controversy even the West pointers who hav
become acquainted with the facts having joine
his partsans. They express the belief tina
the public criticism that will follow the disclos
ureS in the book.